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Majjhima Nikāya 22

The Simile of the Snake · Translation: Bhikkhu Sujato, SuttaCentral

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thusEvaṁ by meme heardsutaṁ—
oneekaṁ timesamayaṁ the Blessed Onebhagavā at Sāvatthīsāvatthiyaṁ apart·dwellviharati in Jeta's Grovejetavane of Anāthapiṇḍikaanāthapiṇḍikassa in the monastery.ārāme.

So I have heard. At one time the Buddha was staying near Sāvatthī in Jeta’s Grove, Anāthapiṇḍika’s monastery.

by thatTena indeedkho nowpana at the timesamayena to Ariṭṭhaariṭṭhassa namednāma of the mendicantbhikkhuno vulture·trapper·previousgaddhabādhipubbassa suchevarūpaṁ harmfulpāpakaṁ view·gonediṭṭhigataṁ had arisenuppannaṁ washoti:
“as I“tathāhaṁ by the Blessed Onebhagavatā the teachingdhammaṁ taughtdesitaṁ toward·knowājānāmi asyathā which·theseyeme obstructingantarāyikā actsdhammā declaredvuttā by the Blessed Onebhagavatā for the onete against·performpaṭisevato are not enoughnālaṁ to be obstructions”antarāyāyā”ti.
heardAssosuṁ indeedkho severalsambahulā mendicantsbhikkhū:
“of Ariṭṭha“ariṭṭhassa it seemskira namednāma of the mendicantbhikkhuno vulture·trapper·previousgaddhabādhipubbassa suchevarūpaṁ harmfulpāpakaṁ view·gonediṭṭhigataṁ had arisen:uppannaṁ:
‘as I‘tathāhaṁ by the Blessed Onebhagavatā the teachingdhammaṁ taughtdesitaṁ toward·knowājānāmi asyathā which·theseyeme obstructingantarāyikā actsdhammā declaredvuttā by the Blessed Onebhagavatā for the onete against·performpaṭisevato are not enoughnālaṁ to be obstructions’”antarāyāyā’”ti.

Now at that time a mendicant named Ariṭṭha, who had previously been a vulture trapper, had the following harmful misconception: “As I understand the Buddha’s teaching, the acts that he says are obstructions are not really obstructions for the one who performs them.” Several mendicants heard this rumour.

thenAtha indeedkho thosete monksbhikkhū whereyena Ariṭṭhaariṭṭho monkbhikkhu formerly a vulture-killergaddhabādhipubbo they approachedtenupasaṅkamiṁsu; having approachedupasaṅkamitvā Ariṭṭhaariṭṭhaṁ monkbhikkhuṁ formerly a vulture-killergaddhabādhipubbaṁ they said thisetadavocuṁ:
true“saccaṁ reallykira to youte, reverendāvuso Ariṭṭhaariṭṭha, suchevarūpaṁ harmfulpāpakaṁ misconceptiondiṭṭhigataṁ arisenuppannaṁ:
as I understand‘tathāhaṁ by the Blessed Onebhagavatā teachingdhammaṁ taughtdesitaṁ I understandājānāmi thatyathā theseyeme obstructiveantarāyikā thingsdhammā saidvuttā by the Blessed Onebhagavatā theyte for one practicingpaṭisevato not ablenālaṁ to obstructantarāyāyā’”ti.
indeed“Evaṁ indeedbyā indeedkho Iahaṁ, reverendāvuso, by the Blessed Onebhagavatā teachingdhammaṁ taughtdesitaṁ I understandājānāmi thatyathā theseyeme obstructiveantarāyikā thingsdhammā saidvuttā by the Blessed Onebhagavatā theyte for one practicingpaṭisevato not ablenālaṁ to obstructantarāyāyā”ti.
thenAtha indeedkho those monkstepi monksbhikkhū Ariṭṭhaariṭṭhaṁ monkbhikkhuṁ formerly a vulture-killergaddhabādhipubbaṁ from thisetasmā harmfulpāpakā misconceptiondiṭṭhigatā wishing to dissuadevivecetukāmā they pursuesamanuyuñjanti they presssamanugāhanti they grillsamanubhāsanti:
do not“mā indeed thushevaṁ, reverendāvuso Ariṭṭhaariṭṭha, sayavaca, do notmā the Blessed Onebhagavantaṁ misrepresentabbhācikkhi; notna indeedhi goodsādhu of the Blessed Onebhagavato misrepresentationabbhakkhānaṁ, notna indeedhi the Blessed Onebhagavā thusevaṁ would sayvadeyya.

They went up to Ariṭṭha and said to him, “Is it really true, Reverend Ariṭṭha, that you have such a harmful misconception: ‘As I understand the Buddha’s teaching, the acts that he says are obstructions are not really obstructions for the one who performs them’?” “Indeed, reverends. As I understand the Buddha’s teaching, the acts that he says are obstructions are not really obstructions for the one who performs them.” Then, wishing to dissuade Ariṭṭha from his view, the mendicants pursued, pressed, and grilled him, “Don’t say that, Ariṭṭha! Don’t misrepresent the Buddha, for misrepresentation of the Buddha is not good. And the Buddha would not say that.

In many ways the Buddha has said that obstructive acts are obstructive, and that they really do obstruct the one who performs them. The Buddha says that sensual pleasures give little gratification and much suffering and distress, and they are all the more full of drawbacks. With the similes of a skeleton … a scrap of meat … a grass torch … a pit of glowing coals … a dream … borrowed goods … fruit on a tree … a butcher’s knife and chopping board … swords and spears … a cobra’s head, the Buddha says that sensual pleasures give little gratification and much suffering and distress, and they are all the more full of drawbacks.” But even though the mendicants pursued, pressed, and grilled him in this way, Ariṭṭha obstinately stuck to his misconception and insisted on it.

thus“evaṁ indeedbyā indeedkho Iahaṁ, friendāvuso, by the Blessed Onebhagavatā the teachingdhammaṁ taughtdesitaṁ towards·knowājānāmi asyathā which + theseyeme obstructiveantarāyikā teachingsdhammā declaredvuttā by the Blessed Onebhagavatā thesete against·practicepaṭisevato are not enoughnālaṁ to obstructantarāyāyā”ti.
whenYato indeedkho thosete mendicantsbhikkhū were not ablenāsakkhiṁsu Ariṭṭhaariṭṭhaṁ mendicantbhikkhuṁ vulture·killer·formergaddhabādhipubbaṁ from thisetasmā evilpāpakā view·gonediṭṭhigatā to dissuadevivecetuṁ, thenatha indeedkho thosete mendicantsbhikkhū whereyena the Blessed Onebhagavā they approachedtenupasaṅkamiṁsu; near·goupasaṅkamitvā the Blessed Onebhagavantaṁ towards·greetabhivādetvā to one sideekamantaṁ they sat downnisīdiṁsu. to one sideEkamantaṁ seatednisinnā indeedkho thosete mendicantsbhikkhū the Blessed Onebhagavantaṁ they said thisetadavocuṁ:
of Ariṭṭha“ariṭṭhassa indeednāma, venerable sirbhante, of the mendicantbhikkhuno vulture·killer·formergaddhabādhipubbassa suchevarūpaṁ evilpāpakaṁ view·gonediṭṭhigataṁ has arisenuppannaṁ:
so I‘tathāhaṁ by the Blessed Onebhagavatā the teachingdhammaṁ taughtdesitaṁ towards·knowājānāmi asyathā which + theseyeme obstructiveantarāyikā teachingsdhammā declaredvuttā by the Blessed Onebhagavatā thesete against·practicepaṭisevato are not enoughnālaṁ to obstructantarāyāyā’ti.
we had thoughtAssumha indeedkho wemayaṁ, venerable sirbhante:
of Ariṭṭha‘ariṭṭhassa reportedlykira indeednāma of the mendicantbhikkhuno vulture·killer·formergaddhabādhipubbassa suchevarūpaṁ evilpāpakaṁ view·gonediṭṭhigataṁ has arisenuppannaṁ—

When they weren’t able to dissuade Ariṭṭha from his view, the mendicants went to the Buddha, bowed, sat down to one side, and told him what had happened.

thus Itathāhaṁ by the Blessed Onebhagavatā the teachingdhammaṁ taughtdesitaṁ toward·knowājānāmi asyathā which·theseyeme obstructiveantarāyikā thingsdhammā declaredvuttā by the Blessed Onebhagavatā for one practicing themte against·engagepaṭisevato are not ablenālaṁ to obstructantarāyāyā’ti.
thenAtha indeedkho wemayaṁ, venerable sirbhante, whereyena Ariṭṭhaariṭṭho the bhikkhubhikkhu vulture·killergaddhabādhipubbo we approached him theretenupasaṅkamimha; near·approachupasaṅkamitvā Ariṭṭhaariṭṭhaṁ the bhikkhubhikkhuṁ vulture·killergaddhabādhipubbaṁ we said this to himetadavocumha:
is it true‘saccaṁ indeedkira to youte, friendāvuso Ariṭṭhaariṭṭha, suchevarūpaṁ evilpāpakaṁ view·gonediṭṭhigataṁ arisenuppannaṁ—
thus Itathāhaṁ by the Blessed Onebhagavatā the teachingdhammaṁ taughtdesitaṁ toward·knowājānāmi asyathā which·theseyeme obstructiveantarāyikā thingsdhammā declaredvuttā by the Blessed Onebhagavatā for one practicing themte against·engagepaṭisevato are not ablenālaṁ to obstructantarāyāyā’ti?
thusEvaṁ when this was saidvutte, venerable sirbhante, Ariṭṭhaariṭṭho the bhikkhubhikkhu vulture·killergaddhabādhipubbo to usamhe said thisetadavoca:
indeed‘evaṁ Ibyā indeedkho Iahaṁ, friendāvuso, by the Blessed Onebhagavatā the teachingdhammaṁ taughtdesitaṁ toward·knowājānāmi asyathā which·theseyeme obstructiveantarāyikā thingsdhammā declaredvuttā by the Blessed Onebhagavatā for one practicing themte against·engagepaṭisevato are not ablenālaṁ to obstructantarāyāyā’ti.
thenAtha indeedkho wemayaṁ, venerable sirbhante, Ariṭṭhaariṭṭhaṁ the bhikkhubhikkhuṁ vulture·killergaddhabādhipubbaṁ from thisetasmā evilpāpakā speculative viewdiṭṭhigatā desirous of dissuadingvivecetukāmā we questionedsamanuyuñjimha we pressedsamanugāhimha we admonishedsamanubhāsimha:

Thus I understand the teaching taught by the Blessed One: that these obstructive things declared by the Blessed One are not able to obstruct one who practices them.” Then, venerable sir, we approached the bhikkhu Ariṭṭha, formerly a vulture-killer; having approached, we said this to the bhikkhu Ariṭṭha, formerly a vulture-killer: “Is it true, friend Ariṭṭha, that such an evil speculative view has arisen in you: ‘Thus I understand the teaching taught by the Blessed One: that these obstructive things declared by the Blessed One are not able to obstruct one who practices them’?” When this was said, venerable sir, the bhikkhu Ariṭṭha, formerly a vulture-killer, said this to us: “Yes, friends, I understand the teaching taught by the Blessed One thus: that these obstructive things declared by the Blessed One are not able to obstruct one who practices them.” Then, venerable sir, desiring to dissuade the bhikkhu Ariṭṭha, formerly a vulture-killer, from this evil speculative view, we questioned him, pressed him, and admonished him:

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